Bentick is Caribbean Squash Champ

James Bentick of St Vincent and the Grenadines returned the best results for the OECS in the Senior Caribbean Squash Championship, which ended over the weekend in Georgetown, Guyana.{{more}}

He placed first in the Men’s over-40 championship in the Vets category. Second place in the Women’s over-50 went to Sherian Slater, also of SVG and the Men’s over 60 3rd place went to Winston Findlay of the BVI.

Players from Trinidad, Jamaica, Cayman, Barbados, OECS and host Guyana battled for ranking positions and individual and team titles in the tournament.

In the Men’s Category, OECS impressive performance came from Kevin Bailey, having lost 0-3 in the individual first round match to professional player Sunil Seth (Guyana). Bailey, playing at number 3 in the team event, defeated Dane Schwier (Jamaica) 11/4, 11/5, 11/6. He lost 3-0 to Kristian Jeffrey (Guyana), but bounced back to defeat former teammate Gabe Rabess (Cayman) 3/11, 11/4, 11/4, 11/4.

Against Nku Patrick ( Guyana) and Bryant Cumberbatch (Barbados) he narrowly lost 3/11, 11/5, 11/7, 7/11, 6/11 and 8/11, 12/10, 9/11, 11/8, 11/8 respectively.

This earned Bailey an improved Caribbean ranking from 20 to 15.

Kevin Hannaway secured his only win over Don Lee (Trinidad) 11/5, 11/9, 11/8 and was ranked at no. 16 at the end of the tournament.

Other team members Jules Snagg , Jason Doyle, Eswhann Adams (SVG) and Dion Anselm (BVI) were unable to secure a win.

The Men’s title went to Chris Binnie of Jamaica and the Women’s to Nicolette Fernandez, Guyana. Team Men’s and Women’s Titles went to Guyana. The standard of play was very high as many countries boasted professional players.

Other team members included Keith Boyea (SVG) and Monique Devaux-Lovell (SLU).

The team secured overall third place after a three-way tie was determined by most games won.

JAMES BENTICK in the Men’s Over 40 continued his winning ways; having earlier this year won the Barbados and Trinidad Master’s, he secured first place by defeating

Garfield Wiltshire (Guyana) 11/7, 11/9, 9/11, 11/8;

Mark Sealey (Barbados) 11/6, 1/11, 11/7, 13/11;

and Peter Pirtheesingh (Trinidad) 11/6, 11/4, 11/1.

Sherian Slater, the 2012 Women’s Over 50 Champion had to settle for second place.

Slater defeated Chauncey Lee (Guyana) 11/5, 11/3, 11/1; she then won by default over Trinidad and in the final match lost to Lyn McLeod (Barbados) 11/9,5/11,8/11, 9/11. Winston Findlay, in the Men’s Over 60, took third place by defeating Denis Dias (Guyana)11/7, 6/11, 11/9, 11/9, then lost 10/12, 6/11, 6/11 to Leon Truss (Barbados) and 9/11, 8/11, 4/11 to Champion Richard Hart (Trinidad). Keith Boyea, the Men’s Over 50 player, and Monique Devaux-Lovell, Women’s Over 40, were unable to secure a win.

The SVG men’s team has qualified to compete in the CAC Games in Guadalajara, Mexico and will continue training for the Commonwealth Games 2014.

The 2014 Senior CASA will be held in Barbados.